O-Poker

I played a Mini-Step 5 last night on Party Poker. I had won my entry by winning a Mini-Step 4. At times I have felt trapped in the Party Steps, but my Mini-Step Hell ended last night.

I wound up winning the Mini-Step 5 for $2,000.

Payouts for the Mini-Step 5 are as follows
1st - $2,000
2nd - $1,000
3rd - $500
4th - $300
5th - $200
Starting Stack 2,000 chips; 10 min levels

I had a few keys hands come up that allowed me to take down the SNG.

Key hand 1 - Blinds 100/200 (7 or 8 players)

I was dealt AK on the button and my stack was at 1,450. UTG min raises, it folds to me, and I decided I have to go with the hand because the blinds are increasing in 1 minute and I need chips. I push all in and UTG calls with A10o. My hand holds and I now have chips.

I think this was a horrible play by the UTG player. He min-raised UTG with a weak hand and it has to be a big dog to almost every hand I was raising with.

Key hand 2 - Blinds high (don't remember exact) (4 players)

I was dealt KJs on the button and raised. Aggressive BB called. I flopped a gutshot draw and bet the flop. BB insta-called. Turn gave me more outs - I had a flush draw also now. BB checked and I sensed a check raise coming, so I checked behind hoping to hit my flush or straight outs. The straight card came on the river but it also made flush possibilities for a different suit than mine. BB immediately over bet the pot all-in. I thought there was no way he would do that with the flush. If he had the flush, he wasn't pushing so hard. I called and he was on a busted straight and complete bluff.

I maintained the chip lead for the rest of the SNG and took down 1st after about 20 hands heads up.

I'll try to post some HHs later.

cmitch